mervjankefanclub 48 Posted October 23, 2008 (edited) Britains model speedway bikes and riders I remember playing with mine on my mums 70's style carpet, the pattern of which had oval shapes making a perfect speedway track. It was in the hall and the draught coming through the bottom of the front door would freeze the nadgers aff ye, I then progressed to a bit of wood with the white line marked using my mums tea tray as a template, filling out my old progs as I went along, happy days Edited October 23, 2008 by mervjankefanclub Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,984 Posted October 23, 2008 Before the days of teletext and t'internet i had to go into the kitchen at 11 p.m. and tune into Radio Luxembourg to get the night's speedway results , which they gave after the news . I didn't know that.Why did no-one tell me? Then again,i was in bed by that time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JC! 142 Posted October 23, 2008 Each track having its own big individual meeting that would have most of the major stars there - Superama, Golden Hammer, Pride of The East, etc etc. Race Jackets. Brittains Model Riders. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mervjankefanclub 48 Posted October 23, 2008 Merv Janke ............and walking with my Dad to the speedway at Blantyre One. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Steve Dixon Posted October 23, 2008 (edited) A lot of what has already been said but going back to the old rattle, here is one I still have, it's a old WW11 air raid thingy that my late Grandad painted up for me when I was a wee boy at Hyde Road. Makes a hell of a racket!!! Edited October 23, 2008 by Steve Dixon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Hannibal Thomas 0 Posted October 23, 2008 standard bikes. muck real dirty racing, not todays hommish attempts of piffle. those were the days. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandman 0 Posted October 23, 2008 Hey Steve, Your rattle/clacker is a cracker jack for sure. Probably bring a fair price on ebay. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Steve Dixon Posted October 23, 2008 (edited) Hey Steve, Your rattle/clacker is a cracker jack for sure. Probably bring a fair price on ebay. Cheers Sandman, is indeed a little beast.. I prefer to keep these sort of things, specialy when it was my Grandfather who painted it up. He was a sign Writer by trade and considering he died in 1983, the paint work is ex. Wrong year!! Edited October 23, 2008 by Steve Dixon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martinmauger 584 Posted October 23, 2008 The Citroen car of choice which gradually replaced the Cortinas, Zephyrs et al was the CX 2400 Bigger crowds An equal number of speedway sports bags as football at school Warcrys (Give us a V, etc) Speedway pictures on the art room walls Kids on the street talking speedway Less gardening at the gate Overtaking Riders able to make more than one passing attempt per race Meetings not postponed at the first drop of rain Fewer engine failures Guessing which leathers the likes of Mauger, Collins, etc would wear Only team No.1 riders gating and disappearing over thr horizon, the rest would race Riders neckscarves A decent England team A Scottish team Speedway results on BBC Radio 2 The building excitement having to wait until Mondays Daily Mirror for contintental results Speedway news on the back page of the Daily Mirror A track in Hull.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TonyMac 720 Posted October 23, 2008 Searching the empty pits after the meeting for riders' discarded plastic visors. Watching riders wander from the Halifax or Exeter pits to the dressing rooms in the middle of the opposite straight, or down the steps on the centre green just inside the first/second bend at White City. Ivan Mauger rolling at the start. The brand new bike (JAP, then Jawa) that was presented to the winner of the Wills Internationale at Wimbledon. Eric Booey parking his bike across the Coventry track at the British-Nordic final in '73 and then throwing his racejacket to the ground in disgust at the Finnish ref's decision to exclude him based on ITV replay evidence. The Peter Collins 'sugar in the tank' saga at the '78 British Final. British Finals being so tough that only the top five went through to the World Final. The excuses riders made for not turning up at Somerton Park, Newport. That awful track surface at Bristol. And the enormous four or five-figure crowds they had there for league matches. Laughing at the thought that England might not be world team champions again. Laughing at the thought that there would ever be enough good Danes to support Ole Olsen well enough to form a Danish Test team capable of avoiding a battering by England et al. Americans who raced (and drank) with smiles on their faces. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chunky 6,092 Posted October 24, 2008 (edited) I know it's your thread, but stop hogging the damn thing, Tony! You keep beating me to it... Anyway, others are : The VW Grand Prix Paul Dowdall beating Eric Boocock in a second half in 1974 Being passed on the roads by riders driving at 90 mph Being passed on the roads by cars with speedway sun visors and stickers Test Matches The dreaded "rider control" (can't say we miss that, though - just a memory) Having to queue up to get in to a meeting WCQR Norway having more than one rider and, in the same vein... Riders representing their own countries, and not being allowed to switch just 'cos they have a poxy licence Getting home, and having to get shale out of your clothes and your hair Bowyer's meat pies at Wimbledon Supporting riders who were older than me! After Radio Luxembourg, listening to the results on LBC (that's for us Londoners) Kids who pretended they were speedway riders by sticking their foot in a crushed coke can Mrs. Dorothy Charles Batson When riders weren't scared of racing at Exeter The 50-points limit Further to your point, Tony, when the British Final meant something... The dear old JAP Meeting riders at Watford Gap services on the way home from a Saturday meeting Getting to Wembley six hours before the meeting started Colin Richardson clocking 60 seconds dead during the 1977 NLRC Steve Edited October 24, 2008 by chunky Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigFatDave 258 Posted October 24, 2008 Ivan Mauger and the Silver Sash; Briggo and the Golden Helmet; the ******* NOISE!! Standing too close to the fence on your first meeting 'cos yer mates told you it was a good place to watch from, then turning round covered in sh!t and seein' em cackin' 'emselves twenty feet back! The Corner Carpets at Somerton Park. Losing the head of me rattle out the bus window when we went to Cradley Heath. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paulco 7,075 Posted October 24, 2008 Going to the Friday night meeting at Blantyre One , and then getting on the supporters coach and travelling overnight to places like Canterbury . They were great times . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shazzybird 10 Posted October 24, 2008 What I miss about the 70's Canterbury Speedway All the friends I made and very rarely see now Rye House "Infradex" Rockets Friday Hackney Saturday Canterbury Sunday Rye House Cleaning the clutch plates for Uncle Teds bikes Castrol R Playing in the dirt at Hackney with Andrew Silver (Hmmmmm and I think someone called Sean ) Zenon Plech! NLRC at Wimbledon Oh that's it now I got to go to work dreaming of 70's speedway, hopefully some of our holidaymakers are speedway fans this week. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian L 2 Posted October 24, 2008 Atmosphere Promoters geeing up the crowds and getting covered in flour and having their trousers set alight! Supporters jackets & scarfs covered in sew on patches and badges White City Track Tapes Supporters clubs Victory parades on the tractor Mascots going around on miniature bikes before the meeting Kids being given rides on their favourite riders bikes (with the rider of course!) Being able to recognise individual riders by their leathers and helmet Ted Sear - a great announcer Paul jumpin' Johnson the flag waver 80p admission going to 4 meetings per week Being 14 and not having a care in the world other than Speedway! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
